To date the entire book of Mormon has been translated into 91 languages, and selections of the Book of Mormon have been translated into an additional 24 languages. Thus, the volume is made available to many people in their native tongue, but the question that begs an answer is, “How many people have ever read it or know anything about it?”

In 2014, three returned missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Kyson Kidd, Jacob Justice and Jake Christensen – set out on a mission to find an answer to that question. The culmination of their quest which was dubbed “The Book of Mormon Project” was the creation of a 5:08 video called “What is the Book of Mormon?” The video was published on YouTube on 1 January 2015, and has already received over 33,000 views in its first week online.

Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon

The motivation behind their mission was their own personal testimonies of the Book of Mormon and their desire that people everywhere would have the opportunity to read the book for themselves. Christensen who is from Eagle, Idaho, originally came up with the idea to create the video after wanting to share a video about the Book of Mormon with his friends on Facebook. In searching for a video to share he discovered that a majority of the videos found in the top searches on YouTube were about the satirical Broadway musical “The Book of Mormon” and decided that something had to be done.

In a 7 November 2014 Deseret News article he gave this brief testimony of the Book of Mormon:

It’s such an important book, and it’s made such a huge difference in my life. The more I’ve read it, the more I’ve honestly grown closer to Christ … and I have become such a happier person because of the Book of Mormon, and I just want everyone to have that.

It is hoped that after reading the book, people would accept the prophet Moroni’s challenge as recorded in Moroni 10:3-5:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

They received additional guidance and inspiration from a quote taken from an October 1988 General Conference address given by President Ezra Taft Benson titled “Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon.” In that timely address, President Benson exhorted:

The time is long overdue for a massive flooding of the earth with the Book of Mormon for the many reasons which the Lord has given. In this age of the electronic media and the mass distribution of the printed word, God will hold us accountable if we do not now move the Book of Mormon in a monumental way.

Christensen further notes that with all the technology that we have available to use, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have an even greater responsibility today to share the Book of Mormon than ever before.

The three friends, who are BYU-Idaho students, hope that the video will impact members and non-members alike. They believe that the reason that most people don’t read the Book of Mormon is because they don’t understand what it is. Christensen stated:

If people could really understand what the Book of Mormon is, they would cherish that book like their lives depended on it. That’s what we’re hoping to do with this video is ignite the spark of the importance of the Book of Mormon so both members and nonmembers will have more of a desire to read it.

We want people to see that this isn’t just for us. This isn’t just for me and you. This is for every single person on planet Earth. I think for members, it’s going to be like, ‘Wow, this is a cool thing I’m a part of.’ And then for nonmembers it’ll be like, ‘Wow, this is a big deal. How have I not heard of it? How have I not read this yet?’

On 19 August 2014, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivered a message during Campus Education Week at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, titled “To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood” in which he encouraged members to “flood the earth” with gospel messages on social media. Albeit “The Book of Mormon Project” was begun before Elder Bednar’s address was given, Christensen, Kidd, and Justice were excited to hear his message because they knew that it would help their video to succeed. As a result of Elder Bednar’s message, they believe that now, more than ever, members are willing to share gospel messages online.

A Promise to All who will Read the Book

We actually decided that Jan. 1 would be best because that’s the time of year that everyone is thinking about making changes in their lives,” Christensen explained. “So we just thought that would be the perfect time to release it as they’re thinking, ‘OK, what can I do to better my life this year?’ and then they see this video, and they think ‘Oh, that could be something that could benefit my life this year. I’ll try it.’ That’s what we’re hoping people will say and do.”

Sharing the Book of Mormon with others is an excellent missionary tool and a great way to share the gospel. As we do so, we not only bless the lives of others, but we are also blessed because of our efforts to do the work that the Lord has commanded us to do. Therefore, not only do we help others to draw closer to Christ, but we ourselves are drawn closer to Christ.

The prophet Moroni’s clarion exhortation applies to all who will read the Book of Mormon:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts (Moroni 10:3).

As members go forth to share the “Good News,” they find that a large part of having an effective ministry involves providing humanitarian assistance to those who live under less fortunate circumstances. It is for this reason that the “Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18). As members strive to emulate the life of the Savior, they begin to fully understand what it means to “lift up the hands which hang down, and [stable] the feeble knees” (Hebrews 12:12).

The Church of Jesus Christ and Humanitarian Aid

The Church of Jesus Christ is involved in many humanitarian efforts around the world to help those in need. The objective is to not only render assistance where needed, but to ultimately teach those who require the assistance how to become self-reliant. It is further hoped that once people learn how to help themselves, they will have a desire to pay it forward to help others in need, and teach them how to help themselves as well.

Such humanitarian organizations as LDS Charities, established by the Church in 1996, provide wheelchairs, clean water, emergency response, food production, vision care, neonatal resuscitation training, and immunizations to people in 179 countries of the world. Donations from Church members, as well as, others through partnerships with organizations around the world, provide the necessary funding for the projects. Largely run by volunteer labor, assistance is “rendered without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality and is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self-reliance, and sustainability.”

The Church of Jesus Christ also maintains the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center which was established in 1991 in Salt Lake City, Utah to “prepare humanitarian supplies for use worldwide and train those desiring to develop employable skills to become self-reliant.”

The Liahona Children’s Foundation – Nurturing the Potential of the Children

King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon in his timely discourse asked the pointed question,

For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? (Mosiah 4:19).

He continues in verse 21 by saying,

And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.

King Benjamin also taught the people that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). And so Latter-day Saints throughout the world do so willingly, knowing that their labors are not in vain and that as they serve their fellowman, they are in the service of God. Individual Latter-day Saints are an active part of the Liahona Children’s Foundation whose mission is “to nurture the potential of children to lead healthy and productive lives by eliminating malnutrition and providing educational opportunities among LDS children and their friends.” The Foundation began its operation in eight stakes in Ecuador and Guatemala in 2008. This summer the Foundation will be screening children in new areas of the world to include the Philippines (multiple areas), Cali Colombia, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala.

One of the major problems that the Liahona Children Foundation faces as it renders humanitarian service around the world is the large number of cases of malnutrition among the children. According to UNICEF,

Over one quarter of the children in resource-poor countries are malnourished, over 100 million under the age of five are under weight, and 165 million are stunted in height. Many malnourished children suffer lifelong cognitive and physical defects that significantly reduce their earning potential as adults, invariably leaving them in poverty and reducing their capacity to fully contribute to society. These effects in turn contribute to a cycle in which their poverty leads to their own children and grandchildren being malnourished.

Largely due to the success of the Church’s missionary efforts to take the gospel to the remote parts of the earth, it is not surprising that a number of malnourished children are found among Latter-day Saint communities in many countries worldwide. This is an ongoing issue that the federally recognized 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization (which is independent from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has striven to address for the past six years. Although the Foundation is not directly affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ, it is administered by faithful Latter-day Saints and funded by contributions from Latter-day Saints in the United States and other parts of the world. Based on their experience over the past six years, it is estimated that at present, there are at least 120,000 malnourished LDS children in the world. The Church of Jesus Christ has over 15 million members worldwide.

According to the article in the Wednesday, 9 July 2014 of the online edition of Meridian Magazine by Robert A. Rees, Ph.D.:

The inspiration for establishing the Liahona Children’s Foundation came when Dr. Bradley Walker, the Foundation’s co-founder and current president, saw the emaciated body of a young Latter-day Saint child in Ecuador. The child, who was under the care of an LDS physician (and former stake president) in the ICU unit of a pediatric hospital in Guayaquil, had been fed platano (banana) water because his parents were too poor to afford milk. Dr. Walker made a commitment to do whatever he could to end malnutrition among Latter-day Saint children.

Liahona volunteers include students from BYU and Utah Valley University. Since its inception in 2008, the Liahona Children’s Foundation has conducted scores of screenings of LDS, as well as non-LDS children, and provided nutrition supplements for the malnourished in the countries of Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Cambodia and the Philippines. It is projected that the program will expand into other areas of the world such as Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the South Pacific, and Haiti where the levels of malnutrition are significantly high.

According to a recent report by UNICEF,

There is better understanding of the crucial importance of nutrition during the critical 1,000-day period covering pregnancy and the first two years of a child’s life, and of the fact that stunting reflects deficiencies during this period. The damage that stunting causes to a child’s development is irreversible. Under nutrition early in life has major consequences for future educational, income and productivity outcomes.

The Meridian Magazine article further emphasized that without help “a malnourished child is less likely to succeed in school, graduate from high school or technical school, go on a mission, become employable, make a good marriage decision, and become a leader in the church or community.” And so, organizations like the Liahona Children’s Foundation are doing their part to combat the problem of malnourishment among LDS children throughout the world. All the while being reminded of the admonition of the Savior Himself when he taught, “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” (Matthew 25:45).

Fascinated by the fact that men have been commanded to keep records for their families, capture proceedings of the Church, and chronicle words of the prophets and the Savior for centuries—back when it was really difficult to molten ore, engrave the messages into metal, and lug around plates of brass or gold—today members of the Church are asked to do the same thing by writing histories for our own families. Yet, rather than engravings on precious metals, we press keys and slide our fingers across screens we hold in the palms of our hands. Libraries of data are literally now at our fingertips.

Technological Advances Help Further the Work of Family History

Thirty years ago I was involved in discussions about helping Brigham Young University (BYU) disseminate the resources of its library to other campuses all across the world. This was well before the Internet and seemingly an immense challenge. At that time, mountains of technological problems had to be overcome to achieve this goal. This task has now been realized, not only for BYU, but the entire Church – General Conference talks, performances, songs, and messages are nearly all available online – and technology provides access to scriptures, devotionals, and a myriad of lessons, videos, family history records, and other resources today that back then were beyond our wildest imaginations.

President James E. Faust, at the October 1999 General Priesthood Session, noted the following:

The miracles of modern technology have brought efficiency into our lives in ways not dreamed of a generation ago, yet with this new technology has come a deluge of new challenges …

I hasten to add that scientific knowledge, the marvels of communication, and the wonders of modern medicine have come from the Lord to enhance His work throughout the world. As an example, the Church’s FamilySearch® Web site has more than seven million hits a day.

Today, we are the beneficiaries of those who kept their promises and chronicled the experiences of life by recording their stories, testimonies, and incidents to lift and edify. In this way, the work of God moves forward to bless his children all across the world. Ennobling influences of prayer, scripture study, frequent church and temple attendance, and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel can literally move mountains. We must simply look to witness the fulfillment of these promises and endure in faith to see God’s work realize its destiny. “The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands” (Doctrine and Covenants 65:2).

Related Articles:

Genealogy Road Trip!

Thoughts on Creating a Genealogy Blog

Why? And how does The Church of Jesus Christ manage to grow and stay strong in a world that continually diminishes the importance and role of religion? The answer is simple: Mormons keep the message of the gospel at the forefront of their lives.

Doctrine Never Changes

The message of The Church of Jesus Christ is simple: Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and when we commit ourselves to Him, we find lasting peace, qualify for saving ordinances, and will eventually live with God and our families forever. The core doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ remain constant, and if there is a change in church operations or policy, it comes directly from general church leadership.

Curriculum is streamlined throughout the world so that no matter where you go to church, the lessons are what you would have heard in your home congregation. Members all around the globe are being taught the same doctrines and principles. This results in millions of members who have similar understandings of Christ’s teachings, thus making The Church of Jesus Christ consistent and secure. This worldwide curriculum is also evidence of the universality of the Church’s doctrines. The Church of Jesus Christ really is for everyone. The member demographics are broad and inclusive. No one is exempt from embracing the message The Church of Jesus Christ has to offer.

Some people argue that The Church of Jesus Christ discriminates against gays and lesbians. This is untrue. The Church does oppose same-sex marriage because it contradicts the eternal doctrine of the family, which is that marriage is ordained of God and is designed to be between a man and a woman. The Church does recognize that many people struggle with same-sex attraction and offers support for those who choose to live a lifestyle in harmony with the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ maintains a website, “Love One Another: A Discussion on Same-Sex Attraction,” to help explain and discuss its official stance on this sensitive issue. The Church of Jesus Christ in no way condones violence or discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Harnessing Technology

Many churches struggle to retain membership in the wake of technological advancements. The Church of Jesus Christ has capitalized on the technological wave and uses the new brands of communicating to make doctrine more widely available. The Church’s website, LDS.org, was updated a few years ago to be more user-friendly. It’s easy to search and find material, plus there are landing pages for members to find local congregational (called ward) directories and ward calendars, in addition to online notebooks to help members make the most of their online study.

The Church of Jesus Christ has also developed extensive and comprehensive apps for smart devices. These apps consolidate dozens of scriptural and teaching resources, including footnoted canonized scripture, decades of General Conference messages, and every official lesson manual. The apps also offer personal note-taking software that allows users to do their regular scripture study online.

Church leadership has made new curriculum for the youth aged 12 – 18 available for immediate use. This curriculum relies on online media and incorporates the use of interactive PDFs. Videos are part of the core material for the new curriculum, and lesson outlines are more fluid and adaptable to the specific needs of the class. Regular adult curriculum is expected to follow suit in 2014.

Mormon leadership also started a YouTube channel several years ago, where it publishes produced videos about a variety of topics. These videos include the I’m a Mormon series, the Bible Videos series, introductory videos, and Mormon Messages. These videos can be shared via social media and help make great strides towards exposure and understanding of church doctrine.

With The Church of Jesus Christ incorporating the technological trends into the way it spreads its message, it makes the doctrines of Jesus Christ more accessible to rising generations. The new media outlets also make doctrines and principles easier to understand. Mormons from all backgrounds have started embracing the new ways to access church material – from teenagers to young parents to retirees. Technology doesn’t alienate members, but rather serves to include them in a much broader and accessible way.

Church Leadership Avoids Politics

Another way The Church of Jesus Christ stays focused on the message of the gospel is by eliminating politics from its leadership decisions. Mormons operate under a lay clergy, meaning that no one gets paid for the service he or she provides. Everyone —  from local bishops (congregational leaders) to Sunday School teachers to the president of the Church himself — is called by God, not by popular vote.

The leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ operates under a clear and specific system of succession. This system allows the general Church leadership to steer clear of divisive politics. The prophet of the Church is sustained unanimously by his fellow members in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. This sustaining is not a vote to decide, but rather a vote of support. Church members all around the world are given the opportunity to declare their support as well through sustaining. Sustaining church leadership is a declaration of support by church members rather than a majority-rules vote. (To read more about prophetic succession in The Church of Jesus Christ, read here.)

Simple Sunday Worship

When you walk into a Mormon chapel on Sunday, you’ll see men in ties, women in skirts, and children wearing Sunday best as they find a pew to sit in. You won’t see jumbo-trons or a rock band playing prelude music. You’ll see people saying hellos and the organist or pianist softly playing hymns. A handful of young men will be up front preparing the sacrament table.

When the meeting begins, the bishop or one of his counselors (a bishop is a leader of a local congregation) will welcome the congregants and outline the meeting. Sermons are often given by men and women who also serve in other capacities; no one is called as a public speaker or “official talk giver.” Sunday school lessons may involve a PowerPoint presentation or a YouTube video, but the message is never pumped up with light shows or displayed in flashing colors with overwhelming sound. Doctrine is taught by teachers who aren’t paid for what they do and involves plenty of participation and discussion to maximize learning and understanding.

Sunday worship in The Church of Jesus Christ is simple. It’s free from bells and whistles and allows the focus to be on doctrine. The message of The Church of Jesus Christ doesn’t rely on rock-concert elements to be taken seriously; it rests on the power of the truth it brings.

When you attend a Mormon Sunday meeting, you won’t be bombarded with marketing strategies and recruitment gimmicks. You will be surrounded by people who have a shared love of the Savior and who want to share that message with anyone who wants to listen. Mormons rely on the power of the message to persuade and affect people, not on lights and sounds to pump up what they have to share.

Mormons Support Religious Liberty

Just because Mormons believe that The Church of Jesus Christ is the only church with the full truth doesn’t mean that they think everyone else is going to hell. In fact, Mormons strongly support religious freedom. The eleventh Article of Faith states that “we claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”

When it comes to heaven, hell, and the judgment day, Mormons’ beliefs are more intricate and rely entirely on the Savior’s mercy. They know they are in no place to judge and that Heavenly Father is in the perfect place to make those eternal calls. The Church of Jesus Christ allows each member to develop his or her own relationship with the Savior and encourages members to act in accordance with their conscience. Religious liberty is important; without it, The Church of Jesus Christ wouldn’t operate and thrive the way it does.

The Church of Jesus Christ is thriving and growing because its core message is true and unchanging. Throughout its almost-200-year presence in the world, the essential doctrines making up the Church have remained the same. If you want to know more about Mormons and what they have to share, you can talk to missionaries right here.

Elder Holland began his remarks by congratulating the students on their openness to discussions of religious belief. “In the western world religion has historically been the basis of civil society as we have known it, and if I am not mistaken, men and women of the law are committed to the best—that is, the most just—civil society possible,” Elder Holland pointed out. “So thank you for taking religion seriously. You will not only be better attorneys but you will be closer to the truth in your own personal lives.”

Mormonism: The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

The origins of Mormonism were the first topic addresses by Elder Holland. Mormonism is a restoration of the original gospel established by Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. Following Christ’s ascension into heaven and the deaths of the original twelve apostles, the primitive Christian Church entered a long period of confusion:

So what ensued was a millennium and a half of destroying Paul’s hope that there would be a “unity of the faith, and [a] knowledge of the Son of God, . . . that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” It is commonplace to note that in the Christian world we now see anything but “a unity of faith” or any real Christian cohesiveness that could remotely be called “the building fitly framed together”that would reaffirm “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

The Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith

By the time of Joseph Smith, who was a young man during the time of religious contention and revival during the early 1800s in the United States known as the second “Great Awakening,” huge divides of doctrine separated the different Christian sects from one another. According to Elder Holland,

This young boy-prophet lamented that his region was “a scene of great confusion and bad feeling . . . priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that [any] good feelings . . . were entirely lost in a . . . war of words and tumult of opinions.” “A war of words and tumult of opinions.” That says so much about post-New Testament Christianity.

Mormonism: Basic Beliefs

Mormons are Christians

We are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Nicene Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ. No, when we speak of “restored Christianity” we speak of the Church as it was in its New Testament purity, not as it became when great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed. So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian. Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know. (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)

Doctrinal Differences Between Mormons and More Recent Christianity

A few doctrinal differences between Mormon doctrines and post-fourth-century traditions were pointed out:

• God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone. As such, we stand with the historical position that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament].”…However, having affirmed the point of Their separate and distinct physical nature, we declare unequivocally that [God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ] were indeed “one” in every other conceivable way—in mind and deed, in will and wish and hope, in faith and purpose and intent and love. They are most assuredly much more alike than They are different in all the ways I have just said, but They are separate and distinct beings as all fathers and sons are. In this matter we differ from traditional creedal Christianity but agree with the New Testament.
• We also differ with fourth and fifth century Christianity by declaring that the scriptural canon is not closed, that the heavens are open with revelatory experience, and that God meant what He said when He promised Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.” We believe that God loves all His children and that He would never leave them for long without the instrumentality of prophets and apostles, authorized agents of His guidance and direction.
• …we are unique in the modern Christian world regarding one matter which a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called our “most distinguishing feature.” That is, divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The holy priesthood, which has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently, signals the return of divine authorization. It is different from all other man-made powers and authorities on the face of the earth. Without it there could be a church in name only, and it would be a church lacking in authority to administer in the things of God. This restoration of priesthood authority eases centuries of anguish among those who knew certain ordinances and sacraments were essential but lived with the doubt as to who had the right to administer them. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can answer the question of “who laid hands on him” all the way back to Christ Himself. The return of such authority is truly “the most distinguishing feature” of our faith.

The lights aren’t always green. The bread isn’t always fresh. Tires go flat. Bills mound. People take ill and die at every stage of life. People struggle. Others starve. Wars go on.

Grief is part of the human experience. Opposition is necessary for growth, according to the Mormon view of our mortal experience, revealed by the Lord through modern prophets. It can, however, be lifted through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that the Savior not only died to pay for our sins but also to take upon Himself our sorrow, grief, and infirmities (Alma 7:11-12).

Patricia Pinegar, former President of the Primary, or children’s organization of the Mormon Church, speaks of her own encounter with grief and the Savior’s intercession:

The difficult experience of my son’s death helped me identify and rejoice in the blessings of peace, hope, and direction-blessings that all who truly accept and live the gospel of Jesus Christ may enjoy. I can bear witness to the words of Elder Richard G. Scott: “Please learn that as you wrestle with a challenge and feel sadness because of it, you can simultaneously have peace and rejoicing” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 20; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17). (“Peace, Hope and Direction,” Ensign, Nov. 1999).

The Savior Himself was a man of sorrow and grief, yet He must have had the supreme joy of knowing He was in tune with His Father and solace in that unique relationship with Him. We, too, can find that peace and assurance that we are not abandoned when death of a loved one strikes or when someone’s agency tragically colludes with the plans for our own life.

Elder Bateman, a contemporary Mormon leader, speaks as well to the healing balm that can come when we ask the Lord for that special soul salve that only He can truly provide:

Death teaches that we do not experience a fulness of joy in mortality and that everlasting joy can be achieved only with the assistance of the Master (see D&C 93:33-34). Just as the lame man at the pool of Bethesda needed someone stronger than himself to be healed (see John 5:1-9), so we are dependent on the miracles of Christ’s atonement if our souls are to be made whole from grief, sorrow, and sin…. Through Christ, broken hearts are mended and peace replaces anxiety and sorrow.

Grief isn’t always caused by death or sickness. There are as many life burdens as there are blessings. Of the lesser-visible crosses, modern apostle, Marvin J. Ashton remarks:

One type of cross is that of violated trust by a parent, a family member, a teacher, a bishop, a member of the stake presidency, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a co-worker, or a classmate.

Another cross that isn’t always visible but that on occasion can be very heavy and worrisome is the lack of self-respect-a feeling of unwillingness to accept oneself. Can you find it in your heart to once in a while compliment yourself on your behavior? Or do you think poorly of yourself no matter what you do? Having feelings like these can be a heavy cross to bear. Such a cross may slow down your eternal progression. (“Carry Your Cross,” Liahona, Sep. 1988.)

My own crosses have taught me, more than anything, about who Jesus Christ really is and who I really am. I’ve felt deeply His knowledge of me exceeding my own, and His awareness and recognition of my every need. I’ve seen Him anticipate circumstances and prepare me; walk with me, converse with me in ways that registered completely and undeniably, and I learned that I want more than anything His closeness forever. Regardless of their source, there is solace to be found through drawing near to the Lord, who descended below all of the things we endure, so He could lift us up out of them. I testify that His power is real, that His knowledge of our struggles is intimate, and that His ability to help us is unparalleled. If you would like to know more about how to access His power, please visit www.mormon.org or chat with the missionaries.

– Show quoted text –